Fearing a backlash, Obama amends new contraception rules

In response to a wave of opposition from the the conservative right and the Catholic church, President Barack Obama announced a compromise in the dispute over whether to require full contraception insurance coverage for female employees at religiously affiliated institutions.

The issue has grown into a dangerous one for Obama, threatening to alienate Catholics in an election year and providing an opening for conservatives who are accusing him of an offensive against religious freedom.

The Catholic church argues it is morally wrong to ask it to provide female employees with health insurance that includes payment for contraception.

In his remarks at the White House on Friday, the president criticised a “cynical desire on the part of some to make this into a political football”.

“No woman’s health should depend on who she is or where she works or how much money she makes,” Obama said. But “the principle of religious liberty” is also at stake. “As a citizen and as a Christian, I cherish this right.”

The White House proposed a compromise that will allow religious organisations to opt out of providing coverage that would include birth control for women. But insurers will be required to offer complete coverage free of charge to any women who work at such institutions.